Alphabet Challenge: S is for SEVEN
by toobeauty
Summary: If you saw the film with Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt, you can have an idea what this story is about ...


TITLE: S is for Seven.

AUTHOR: Too_beauty.

CHARACTER: Alexander III of Macedon.

RATING: PG.

CATEGORY: Historical AU

DISCLAMER: I don't know the Great Man involved; he belongs to History and to all of us who admire him.

WARNING: Angst, Dark,

BETA: Emily who can put my thoughts into beautiful words.

FEEDBACK: comments are love!

AUTHOR'S NOTE: If you have seen the hominine film, you can guess what this will be about …..

* * *

Even though he was an excellent conqueror, cunning war strategist and unwavering ruler, Alexander was also a man. And so, like every other man, he sinned. These moments of wickedness would alternate in degrees of significance, but as Alexander plunged through life they became less scattered, less forgivable, and, as a result, increasingly harder to ignore. These were the sins that would eat away at any man's conscience, and with each passing instance Alexander would lose a bit more of his humanity.

1.

Alexander loved Achilles; this great man had been his hero since his early childhood. Alexander insisted on sleeping with a copy of the "Iliad" under his pillow (next to his dagger) and as the Greek hero, he tried to emulate him by experiencing similar situations.

The king was also convinced that he could trace his lineage up to this most famous hero - Queen Olympia (being his ever-devoted mother) never let him forget that vital detail and never would.

Alexander's admiration for Achilles was so deep that when he disembarked in Troy, he offered a sacrifice in his hero's tomb. Of course, Alexander had also found his Patroclus in his long-life friend, Hephaestion, the blue-eyed handsome youth who shared his dreams and held the status of being his most loyal companion.

Yet despite all of his honor and fondness, Alexander envied Achilles as well because he had had the greatest poet of all time, Homer, to retell his feats and make his name be remembered forever.

2.

Alexander was always loved (his mother loved him to such an extreme that it was often suffocating). He was loved by many people: men, women, children, but _his_ real love was his childhood friend, Hephaestion, son of Amyntor. Alexander shared most of his dreams and wishes with his beloved, who was very loyal and a man who could rival him due to his quick mind, intelligence, and diplomatic skills. If Alexander was the brain of the Macedonian army, then Hephaestion was indisputably the heart of it.

Their love relationship was abnormally long and it was always belittled by the elder Macedonians in the army.

But Alexander, being passionate, succumbed to the weakness of the flesh. The very same day he entered the harem of king Darius in Babylon, he met a slender Persian dancer with black silky curls called Bagoas. This young eunuch introduced him to the art of love and new temptations, practiced since long ago in the eastern lands.

This new found lust dominated the young king but he paid a high price: his faithful lover walked out of their relationship and, although he remained Alexander's steadfast friend, he was no longer his beloved.

Alexander would only realize how important Hephaestion was when he lost him in Ecbatana, and he could no longer find it in himself to go on living. It was a short eight months before the king followed his soul mate to the house of death (although, had Alexander been asked, he would describe them as the most drawn-out months of his life). It took time, but love had at least been more powerful than lust.

3.

Alexander had always been very active, restless, and he was always making his army go further. He had taken his moving and steadily growing army through thousands of stadia, testing the unpredictable wrath of nature, crossing high mountains, water, deserts, valleys and plains.

He was always on the move and he rarely grew tired, so he mistakenly assumed that the rest would share this stamina.

India proved him wrong. Even his most loyal companions dared to defy him. New threats were then thrown against his leadership, and most of the soldiers shouted at him for his lack of respect to his Macedonian or even his Greek roots, unable as they were to stand idly while Alexander treated the Asians as if they were their equals.

Not even Craterous could stop the riot; shouts and insults were exchanged until Alexander announced that they were free to return to their homeland, that he'd continue with his Asians – but that they would also assume the responsibility of leaving their king alone. Upon hearing this none would leave and the army continued marching further east. Their sloth was even rewarded later with riches.

4.

Alexander, known for his quick temper, was also known by his measured tactics, especially when he listened to his Hephaestion, who always did the reasoning in a calmer way.

Still, there came a point when not even Hephaestion could stop him. Following a false report about Alexander's death, the Thebans decided to rebel and overthrow Macedonian domination.

They never had a chance. Alexander marched to the south and stormed the city. He divided his forces in three parts and when the struggle started, each of them found their Theban counterpart. Even though the Thebans were outnumbered and tired, they continued fighting for their freedom. Even when Alexander's reserve division entered the struggle and killed many of their enemies, the Thebans would not concede the victory yet, daring to shout that the Macedonians openly confessed to being their inferiors.

Alexander took note of an unguarded gate and ordered some of his men, commanded by Perdicas, to enter the city through it. Unfortunately, confusion reigned on both sides and a great slaughter began.

6,000 Thebans lost their lives, more than 30,000 were captured and vengeance could be seen in the Macedonian soldiers.

Wrath was present that day and could not be stopped. It spread all over the city and died away when the city was left in ruins.

5.

Alexander would immediately regret killing his friend, but at that moment gluttony took control of his clouded mind due to the excess of wine in his body.

In the conference of generals at Samarkand, Alexander announced the reorganization of commands and gave orders to Cleitus to take 16,000 of the defeated Greek mercenaries north to fight the nomads in Central Asia.

Cleitus knew that he'd be a forgotten man soon if he did that so he spoke his mind, loudly. Alexander would have none of it and boasted that his accomplishments were greater than his father's, to which Cleitus answered that he was not the legitimate king of the Macedonians. Alexander asked for his dagger but it was removed and Cleitus taken out of the room. But Cleitus managed to come back and more insults were thrown against Alexander. He took a spear and killed Cleitus on the spot.

Alexander was left alone; Hephaestion and Bagoas stayed by his side but only Hephaestion was able to convince the king that his mistake should be solved and so an honorable funeral was prepared and held for the Black General.

6.

When the Macedonians reached Persepolis, they rushed into it, killing all the men and plundering the houses that teemed with furniture and precious objects. Everything fell as prizes to the victors.

But the Royal Palace had been condemned to total destruction, not even the whole day of pillaging could satisfy their inexhaustible greed.

Alexander wanted to take part of the money found inside the palace for the expenses of war and deposit the rest, but the king wished to destroy Persepolis.

The occasion came one day when, under the influence of wine, a violent madness took hold of the drunken men and following Thais's suggestion, they set fire to the Royal Palace, allowing women's hands to destroy what once had been the pride of the Persians, and by this way, they punished the Persians for the crimes committed against the Greek sanctuaries by Xerxes.

7.

At 23, Alexander invaded Asia Minor and arrived in the central mountains at the town of Gordium. He was undefeated but none of his victories had been decisive or spectacular. Alexander's pride had been wounded by that and he was in need of a good omen to prove to his Army that he'd be victorious, and that the conquest of the known world was possible under his command.

The proud and impetuous King decided to give a try and unknot the famous ox cart. Struggling heavily and seeing a crowd of Macedonians and Phrygians gather around him, Alexander became frustrated at being unable to solve the problem. So he exclaimed loudly, _"What does it matter how I loose it?"_ drew his sword and in one powerful stroke he severed the knot.

It is said that on this night a huge electrical storm started and the seers took it as a sign that the gods were pleased because the so-called son of Zeus would rule the whole of Asia.

In spite of his many sins, nobody can deny the greatness of this Macedonian, who challenged life and death and conquered both; who became a myth; who entered immortality and will remain there forever.


End file.
